ruint
Ruined, spoiled, or messed up past saving.
Also called ruined, rurnt, rernt.
Updated September 24, 2026
ruint pronunciation
/ROO-int/
Meaning
Ruint is ruined with Southern and Appalachian teeth marks on it. Food goes ruint in a hot car. A late frost ruint the tomatoes. A kid left to run wild gets called ruint too, meaning spoiled rotten. Related mountain forms like rurnt and rernt carry the same punch with an extra r sound.
How folks use it
- “Leave that milk out one more hour and it'll be ruint.”
- “That young'un is pure ruint. Nobody ever told him no.”
Origin and etymology
Dialect past form of ruin. Wiktionary notes ruint as a nonstandard past participle alongside ruined. DARE tracks it across the South and South Midland for spoiled crops, food, gear, and overindulged kids. Appalachian speech also favors rurnt and rernt.
Frequently asked questions
Is ruint different from rurnt?
Same basic meaning. Rurnt is a more mountain-sounding twist on the same ruined idea.